Haunted
by NaLuLover
Summary: Natsu didn't know that a fun night with his friends would end up with a terrible accident. It is not his intention to kill her. He was just too shocked and scared of what he had done. He regretted doing it. If only he could do something about it as he meets the soul of the person he accidentally killed. Who would have thought that they could still have a happy ending? AU
1. Guilt

Chapter 1

Guilt

SMASH!

The pink haired boy inside the car closed his eyes because of the impact. He can't turn the car away in time to avoid what is obstructing the road. He can't even drive well since everything is blurry due to the excessive amount of alcohol that he drunk at the party he went with his friends. Then he felt his car or rather his father's car hit something and immediately stopped the car. With a little nervousness, he decided to open the door to check if the car has any damage. He will be damned if there is, since he just sneak the car out, he is still young to have a license anyway. He also went to check what the thing that he crashed with. But what he saw suddenly made him sober as his eyes widen and felt his skin turn cold. He had hit a person!

He froze and could just stare at the lying figure in front of him with blood pooling beneath her unmoving body. All color left his face, leaving his originally tan colored skin turn into a pale one, horrified at what he had done. Panic started to rise unto his chest and mind leaving him unable to think of what was the right thing to do. He took a step back and looked at his surroundings. The place is a little dark, the streetlights barely lit the area, and he could see the park beside the road where he was standing but besides that, he can't see anyone except the one he killed.

Killed. He killed someone. Fear started to eat him as realization hit. He doesn't know what to do and the next thing he knew is that he was back in the car, driving onto his home fast leaving the girl there dead or probably dying. The scene he saw keeps creeping back to his mind, the girl, the blood. _NO! That didn't happen. That was just a prank my brain playing to me. I didn't kill someone. That wasn't true._ The pink haired boy keeps denying everything but soon he submitted to the truth that he truly killed someone. His cold skin, goose bumps, cold sweat and his still trembling body due to panic and shock convinced him. _NO! What have I done! NO!_

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" A blue haired girl is waking up his older brother.

The pink haired boy opened his eyes to see the worried look her little sister is giving him.

"You're shouting something in your sleep again, Natsu. It is a nightmare again, isn't it?" their mother, Grandine, said to him.

"Again?" he growled irritated that the nightmare had really gotten into him that he even screams at his sleep. When the first time that they said he was shouting in his sleep, he got afraid that they might have an idea of what happened but he was somewhat relieved when they said that he was only shouting "_No" _and "_That wasn't true". _"I'm fine now; you all can go back to what you were doing before." Natsu said facing his mother to convince her that he was fine.

"Are you sure? It's already been five months since you're having those nightmares and it becomes frequent these days." their father, Igneel, stated a hint of concern lacing his words.

"Yes, I'm fine dad. Just go out now." Natsu replied.

"Ok, we will go out now but remember you have classes now so get ready and go down for breakfast." Grandine reluctantly said while motioning for Wendy and her husband out of Natsu's room.

"I will." Natsu said to his mother.

Natsu grabbed some clothes and went in the bathroom for a shower. He needed to push that nightmare out of his head. '_Who was I kidding? That isn't a nightmare, it is a memory. Yes. I, Natsu Dragneel had killed a girl and because I am a huge coward, I hadn't helped her. Damn!_' Natsu thought as he cursed himself. '_Since that day I really began to hate myself. And those nightmares keep haunting me, good thing I hadn't seen that girls' face because if I do I guess I won't be able to sleep at night. Well being able to sleep at night is surprising knowing I had done a horrible thing. And today is exactly five months after that terrible thing happened. If I could return to past, I would punch myself to make my stupid mind work that time._' Natsu thought then he remembered what happened after he arrived home.

**- Flashback -**

Natsu was able to go home and he hurried to get a pail and fill it with water. After he had done that, he desperately scrubbed the front part of the car clean if there is any blood there and he eventually cleaned the whole car because of slight paranoia that they will know what recently happened. After cleaning the car he filled the pail with water for the last time and had splashed it to himself wishing it could wake him up from that 'nightmare' but it seems that, that will continue to haunt him for the rest of his life as he realized that all of those were real. His eyes started to get heavy as he sat down.

His mother found him later that morning asleep and with clothes still a bit wet while leaning against the car. His mother asked him what happened then that scene started to come back to his mind making him unable to speak due to fear. Of course he hadn't told her and will never tell anyone about that. He lied to his mother about what had happened and went back to his room to change.

He heard the news from his mother that afternoon about a girl who is said that was hit by a car last night near the Magnolia Park with no ID to identify who she is. He doesn't hear the end of the news because he had run off to his room locking himself for that night knowing that the girl is the person he accidentally killed. _That person is a girl, I now remember that that person is indeed wearing girl's clothes and she has… blonde hair! _Natsu remembered then fear starts to come back to him leaving him shaken to his soul. He didn't eat dinner that night that's why when he got out of his room the next day his mother is very worried and keep on asking him what's wrong so he lied and said he was just feeling sick but the truth is he is so guilty and scared of what he had done that he can't really move out of his bed.

**- Flashback end -**

Since that day, those who are close to him notice the slight change in his personality. He is still the goofy and loud one, he still 'fight' with his friends but he can be usually be seen spacing out if he is alone or in class. The thing he had done and his conscience never stopped haunting him. It is only the time when he was with family and friends that he can momentarily push that memory at the back of his mind.

Though Natsu truly regret the actions he made that night, he didn't dare to go back to the place where the accident happened. He didn't know it but he can't make himself go there.

'_What should I do to repent that sin so I can forget everything?_' that was the thought Natsu had that morning.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Well, I guess that's it for the first chapter. Sorry if the story is not good or confusing, it's actually my first time writing a story so if you have suggestions and comments it will be appreciated. So what do you think about the story? Please review, Thank you ^_^

I do not own Fairy Tail. It belongs to the awesome Mashima Hiro-sensei. I hope that he will make NaLu an official couple soon though.


	2. Dare

Chapter 2

Dare

"What?!" Natsu exclaimed shock evident in his voice and face. And if one look closely someone could notice the fear into his eyes but he is lucky since it is not notice by anyone since they are all busy cleaning or checking themselves if they have food on them since he just yelled with food still in his mouth.

Natsu together with his friends is having their lunch. They are currently attending Fairy Academy in their First year of high school.

"You! I told you to swallow first before talking." A red haired girl reprimanded Natsu. But he didn't pay attention to that since he was still shocked by what the underwear prince had said.

"What? You just became so scared you now can't understand what I had said huh, flamebrain" underwear prince as Natsu like to call him said.

"What did you say? You wanna fight, underwear prince!" Natsu retorted.

"Tone down idiots! And you pinky, are you going to do the dare? " a black haired man with piercings said.

"Who are you calling pinky, you bastard!" Natsu retorted.

"Stop! Stop making fuss, we are just asking if you will do it." The red haired girl named Erza said.

"How will he do it if he doesn't know anything about it?" a short white haired girl with blue eyes said to Erza.

"Lissana is right. You should explain it to him first." Mirajane said

"But Natsu yelled before Gray got the chance to explain it to him." Levy stated.

"Yes! Listening is manly!" Elfman shouted.

"Juvia thinks that is nonsense, Elfman." a female with a blue hair with curls at the end that reached her shoulders said then turn to look again to her 'prince'.

"Ok, then I'll just explain it to him. Listen, Natsu!" Erza said while facing Natsu.

Natsu just nodded, he can't think of anything since his friends just challenged him to go to the very place where his entire nightmare started just for a freaking dare. '_But I can't say no, right? Since I will surely be called a scaredy cat for the rest of my life; knowing my friends' _Natsu thought.

"We want you to go to the Magnolia Park tonight at 11:00 and find the box containing your prize." Erza said.

"That is if you actually got brave and go there, scaredy cat" Gray mockingly said.

"Shut up stripper!" Natsu yelled "And why do you guys suddenly decided to make me do that dare and chose that park as the place?" Natsu asked his friends.

"Because five months ago, a ghost is said to appear there every night at that hour." Levy said

"That must be the soul of the girl who had an accident five months ago!" Lissana added. Natsu gulped after hearing that. He is feeling uncomfortable but he won't let his friends notice that.

"And do you think that you avoiding that place will be unnoticed by us?" Gajeel said. Natsu's heart starts to beat fast. He didn't expect them to notice that.

"And for what reason do you think why am I avoiding that place?" Natsu reluctantly ask.

"You are afraid of the ghost of course!" Gray said. Proud that he could prove that his friend is scared of ghosts.

"What?! I'm afraid of a ghost? Maybe you're brain turned to ice or you've got a serious case of stupidity, well you are stupid to begin with so you don't have to fret about it icebrain." Natsu smirked at Gray.

Gray is about to say something when Natsu said "And why do you think I am afraid of some ghost?"

"So you'll gonna go accept the challenge?" Gajeel ask.

"Of course! But what will I get if I finished it?"Natsu asked.

"Free food coupons from your favourite restaurant!" Lisanna said, happy since she's the one who suggested that.

"Nah, lame. I could eat without using coupons so why would I exchange my time to sleep for that? " Natsu said not noticing Lisanna who slightly deflated.

"How about we will put money there too? You want new red headphones right?" Mirajane said.

"You got yourself a deal. I can't wait to have those new headphones." Natsu grinned.

"That is _if_ you find the box." Levy said.

"Piece of cake." Natsu said.

"And if you don't manage to find that, you will be named Pinky the Scaredy cat" Gray said, grinning maliciously.

"Oh! That rhymed! Gray- sama is so cool!" Juvia said while looking dreamily at Gray as everyone sweat dropped.

"You wish for that to happen, stripper. But I still think that won't happen even if you wish." Natsu smirked.

"You will also treat all of us for lunch." Erza added.

"Deal." Natsu said confident to win the bet.

"Everyone, It's now time for our next class." Mira said and they headed for their next class.

* * *

"Come on, hurry up and hide that box. I want to go home now." Gray said. He is currently with Gajeel, Levy and the Strauss siblings in the Magnolia Park. They went there right after their classes.

"Then help us think where we should hide this box." Gajeel said, he wants to go home to but the girls can't decide where to hide the box.

"What if we bury it? There, next to the tree." Gray said while pointing to the spot where he wants the box to be buried.

"Good idea, icebrain. In that way he won't find it. I can't wait to call him, Scaredy cat. Geehee." Gajeel said. Thrilled that he could call Salamander that and he could not do anything about it ssince it is part of the dare.

"That's not good Gajeel. What if he turned this whole park into a wreck just to find for the box not knowing it is buried? " Lissana said.

"It is fine. In that way I could get my money back, there's a book I wanted to buy for some time now." Levy said to Lissana.

"Then it is settled. Gray, Gajeel and Elfman hurry up and bury this box now. I still need to buy something in the market for dinner." Mira commanded.

"But Mira-nee." Lissana tried to reason.

"Don't worry Lisanna. The ghost might help Natsu, you know." Mira jokingly said to her younger sister. Lissana just sighed after hearing what her sister had said.

"Hurry up you two! Burying is manly!" Elfman said to Gray and Gajeel.

"Do you want me to bury you?!" Gray and Gajeel yelled at Elfman and the girls just giggled.

After a few minutes…

"Yosh, time to go home." Gray said while fixing his clothes.

"Goodbye Gray, Gajeel, and Levy." Lissana waved them goodbye.

"Be sure to walk Levy home, Gajeel." Mira wink at them making Levy blush and Gajeel scowl at her.

Then they all walk home.

Meanwhile with Natsu….

"Why are you here?" Natsu rudely asked Erza.

"To prevent you from spying Mira and the others while they are hiding the box." Erza said while eating the cake that was offered by Natsu's mom. They are currently at Natsu's house. Whenever Natsu asks why Erza is following him, Erza just replies the same thing to Natsu until they reached the Dragneel's residence.

They heard Erza's phone ring. Erza checked who is calling and answered it when she saw it was Mirajane. After a while she put down her phone and arranged her things telling Natsu that Mirajane and the others had done their job. Before Erza left she reminded Natsu where and what time he should find the box. Natsu just nodded and Erza went home.

* * *

"It is now 11pm." Natsu said as he sleepily checked the clock. He was too lazy to move out of bed but he has to since he has accepted to do that dare. After a while, he got up and got ready to sneak out of the house after making sure that the flashlight he will be bringing is working.

It seems that Natsu temporarily forgot his 'nightmare' as his mind is occupied by the dare and his prize. He walks to the park while thinking where they could possibly hide the box containing his prize but stopped his thought when he saw a 24 hour convenience store nearby and he decided to go there first to grab some snacks. He passed by a shelf with alcoholic beverages and remembered the night when they celebrated Gray's birthday five months ago. The boys had managed to bring some alcohol even though they are still under aged. Then he instantly felt a chill run down his spine as he suddenly remembered what happened after that party. He just froze in front of the alcohols while every single detail of the horrible accident came to him in a flash.

"Sir, we are sorry but we can't sell an alcohol to you because it seems that you are still under aged." An employee in the convenience store said waking Natsu from his dazed state.

"N-No. It wasn't my intention to buy any." Natsu replied as he looked at the employee who just smiled and left.

Natsu quickly got some snacks and paid for it then immediately left the store. He was about to go home but remembered the dare so he gathered his courage and went to the park. Natsu doesn't feel hungry anymore so he just stuffed the food in his bag while walking.

'_There won't be anything bad that will happen right? Maybe this is the right time to face this fear of mine.'_ Natsu thought as he walks. Natsu realized that he was now near the park so he rummaged his bag for the flashlight and get it out from the bag, his hands shaking slightly as the unwanted memories decided to linger in his mind. His heart is beating loudly as he quickly entered the park not wanting to stay on the road. Natsu immediately got to work in finding the box as he look around the park, in the bushes and under slides or anywhere they could put the box under it.

Unknown to him, there is _someone_ else with him, studying him, watching his every move. After a while of searching, fear slowly left him as he got tired and got a bit irritated as to why he can't find the stupid box after he searched nearly every inch of the park. He is now standing in the middle of the park; leaning on a tree thinking where could be that box is hidden. Then he suddenly felt that there is someone who is watching him so he looked around from his position if there is someone else besides him but he was interrupted when a cold gust of wind past through him leaving him with goose bumps. He felt an urge to run but stayed rooted from his spot as he suddenly became scared. Don't misinterpret him, he isn't a kind of person who easily got scared from a dark place or from an eerie feeling of being watched but it is a whole new story if he is in the place where the accident happened five months ago. Natsu is too busy being scared that he didn't felt that _someone_ is approaching him.

* * *

Author's Note:

So readers, mind if you tell me what you think? Is there anything that I should improve? cause I feel that there is something that should be improved I just don't know what.. Anyways please review ^_^


	3. Meeting

Chapter 3

Meeting

Natsu stop leaning on the tree, he step forward and look around the park. He really can't shake the feeling of being watched. Another gust of cold wind past through him but it seems to be a little stronger than the first, as if the wind doesn't want him to be in the park anymore.

"What are you doing here?" someone whispered on his right ear. Natsu felt his right ear turn cold and his heart almost came out of his chest due to shock. He immediately turns to his right but saw no one.

'_What's that? I just felt that someone is watching me and now I start hearing things when it is clear that I am alone in this place? But I felt someone's cold breath when that person whispered. Wait, a person's breath is supposed to be warm, right? Just what the heck is happening?! Maybe I'm just hungry. Yes I'm just hungry; I didn't really hear or felt anything.' _Natsu thought as he tries to compose himself.

"What are you doing here?" someone whispered again from Natsu's back. He immediately turns around but he just saw the tree. Those whispers is creeping him out; he was sure now that what he heard is not just from his imagination.

"What do you want from here?" he heard someone ask him again and immediately turn around only to find an angry teenage girl.

He didn't answer her as he was thinking '_How did she get near me without me noticing her?' _He looks at the girl in front of him; she has a blonde hair with brown eyes. She wears a pink sleeveless top, navy blue mini skirt, leggings that covered her legs and white stilettos. But he is shocked and fell down to his butt when he noticed one thing. The girl is floating!

"Wh-What are you? A-are you a gho-" He didn't finish his question as the girl in front of him suddenly disappeared.

"A ghost." The ghost said as she reappear an inch from Natsu's face after a second of disappearing, effectively scaring the hell out of Natsu as he jumps away from the ghost only for his back to meet the tree behind him.

Natsu is now visibly shaking. His heart beating a hundred times in a minute. The ghost really frightens him and he is nowhere near calm as the ghost is slowly approaching him only to disappear again. He slowly stands up. He is about to make himself believe that that is not true as he turn to his left and-

"BOO!" The ghost shouted as Natsu became face to face with her while she hanging upside down from a tree branch.

"AHHHH!" Natsu screamed as he fell into his butt again, eyes screwed shut with his arms covering his face as if someone will hit him. Then he heard someone or rather the ghost laughing, slowly opening his eyes he saw that the ghost is indeed laughing. It irks him that she is laughing at him.

"Haha! You should have seen your face! You're totally scared that if I try to scare you again you will wet your pants." The ghost said as she continues to laugh.

Natsu's face is turning red due to anger and embarrassment but he can't say something to the ghost.

"Oh! Look at you, you are turning red now." The ghost said clearly making fun of him.

Natsu's fear is now turning to anger. How dare this ghost laugh at him when she was scaring him to death a while ago?

"Oh come on, I'm just having fun. That was just a little payment for the help that I will give you to find that little box." The ghost said somehow sensing that the teenage boy that she was teasing a while ago is now seething with anger.

"Having fun! Do you think that is fun?! And what box are you talking about?!" Natsu shouted anger evident in his voice.

"Did I scare you that much that you forgot you're original purpose of coming here?" The ghost said clearly amused by the pink haired boy she was talking to.

"What?! You know where is it? How did you know?" Natsu asked her. He totally forgot about that. Damn her. But at least she reminded him.

"Yes I do know and for the latter question, of course I will know since I am in this park all the time. I decided to listen to their conversation because they are making a ruckus." The ghost replied.

"How did you know that I am the person that is supposed to be looking to that box?" Natsu asked her again.

"Well, you look like you are trying to find something and I heard you asked yourself of where is that box hidden a while ago." The ghost answered.

"Really? Will you now tell me where it is hidden?" Natsu asked.

"No." The ghost said arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Why? You said you'll help me, that's why you scared me before right?"

"I have changed my mind since you shouted at me" The ghost said while she turns around float away from Natsu.

"Who wouldn't be mad if you're being scared and someone is laughing at you and you know that she did it on purpose?" Natsu said as he looks at the ghost that is now floating away from him without even bothering to answer him. "Help me find it, please" Natsu added to convince her.

The ghost turned around and smiled at him saying "I'm just joking you know." Natsu just sighed; this girl is really messing with him.

"Why is it important for you to find it anyway?" The ghost asked while getting close to him again

"My friends decided to make me do a dare and that dare is to go here and find the box that has my prize in it. Of course I have to find it to have my prize and to evade the consequences" Natsu said while making sure to leave a space between him and the ghost that is getting near him again.

The ghost giggled when she noticed the pink haired boy slowly backing away from her. She moved away from him and went over to a spot near the tree.

"It is buried in this spot." The ghost suddenly said.

Natsu looks where the ghost is stand-… floating then asks "They buried it?"

"Yup." The ghost said smiling at him. Natsu went over to her. The ghost noticed that Natsu isn't starting to dig yet and is about to ask him why when she noticed that she is still over the spot and he probably won't start until she move away.

"Oh, sorry." The ghost sheepishly said while she moved away. Natsu smiled at her then start digging.

After a minute Natsu found the box and he jumps and shout in joy "Yes! I found it! I can't wait to see their face when they notice that I found it. Specially that stupid stripper's face. I'm now greater than him! "

'_What is he? A child?' _The ghost thought as watch Natsu become overjoyed. Natsu turn to look at her with his big grin then said "Thanks Ms. Ghost. I'm Natsu Dragneel by the way."

"Who are you calling Ms. Ghost? I have a name and it is Lucy Heartfilia." The ghost named Lucy said, crossing her arms in front of her chest showing that she didn't appreciate the name he had given her.

"Thanks, Luigi." Natsu grinned.

"It's Lucy" Lucy shouted but her attention went to the box. "What's inside that?" she asked.

Natsu opened it to show her and said "Free food coupons and precious money for me to buy the headphones that I wanted."

Lucy smiled. "Are those people who buried that here your friends? If I'm not mistaken, I saw three girls, one with a white long hair, one with a short white hair, and one with blue curly hair. And three boys too one is a huge boy with white hair, a raven haired one that is only wearing pants and one with piercings and long black hair. "

Natsu laughed then answered "Yes, The first one that you mentioned is Mira then Lissana, Levy, Elfman, The stripper Gray and Gajeel."

"They look nice and fun to be with." Lucy smiled she also want to have friends but now that she is now dead and just a wandering soul she bets she can't have any that is why she is happy that she can talk to Natsu.

"Yes they are, though Gajeel and Gray are annoying. Don't be deceived by Mira's sweet looks too, she punches hard. And she is not the only one who can do that there is Erza too, she is a red haired demon." Natsu shivered while remembering her.

Lucy giggled "How about the others then? Are they scary too?"

"No, Juvia is just creepy always following Gray everywhere. Levy is nice and she loves reading books. Lissana is nice too; she is my childhood friend together with Gray, Mira, Erza, Levy and Elfman. Juvia and Gajeel just kind of joined the group in our middle school. Oh, and Mira, Elfman and Lissana are siblings with Mira as the oldest and Lissana as the youngest." Natsu said then released a big yawn.

"I think you should go home now. It is now past midnight you know. And you still have classes tomorrow." Lucy said noticing Natsu is now sleepy.

"But…" Natsu don't want to leave since he still wants to talk to his new friend ghost.

"No buts, you should go home now and we could still meet later." Lucy said an idea popping into her mind.

"Ok. See you tomorrow." Natsu stood up and left but stopped near the entranced to waved and thank her again with a grin.

"See you later." Lucy corrected him as she watches him walk away.

Natsu sleepily walks home. Thinking about how nice Lucy is to tell him where the box is hidden. He starts thinking about what it could be like when he would meet her again because he will surely go there again and talk to her. Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't notice that there is someone following him.

* * *

A/N:

And that's it for Chapter 3. Sorry if it is kinda late.

Thank you for all the reviews. I'm really happy that you like this story

Please review and share what's on your mind regarding this chapter ^_^

Thank you again for the reviews, follows and favorites. What do you think will happen next? Ja Matta ne~ ;)


	4. Family

Chapter 4

Family

Natsu wakes up after hearing his alarm. Yep, he set an alarm especially for today. He turns it off and rolled off his bed with a huge grin. If someone would see him now, that person would see how excited and energetic Natsu is despite his lack of sleep. He was practically bouncing like a little kid to his closet to get clothes, eager to go to school today. His smile isn't leaving his face until he gets into the bathroom and notice that the shower is on. Confused, he shoved the shower curtains aside only to jump back and barely stopping himself from screaming as he sees a blonde haired ghost under the shower dripping wet and looks like ready to kill.

"Luigi!" he shouted but regretted it since he could be heard by his family.

Lucy laughs and said "Haha! I scared you again, aren't I? I really enjoy scaring you." Lucy laughs but abruptly stops and glared as she realized what Natsu just called her. "My name is Lucy, you idiot."

"Hai!" Natsu involuntarily shuddered. Her glare is similar to a certain red haired monster.

"Are you just gonna stand there? I thought you have school?" Lucy asked.

"Yes I have. So get out of there already." Natsu said looking impatient.

"Why? Scared with a ghost around?" Lucy tauntingly said. Natsu didn't like what Lucy is implying and thinking of what he should answer her when he thought of something.

"I didn't know you are perverted ghost that likes to watch boys while their taking a shower." Natsu huskily said while he walks forward. Lucy stiffens.

"I guess that would be fine with me." Natsu said while taking off his shirt. He smirked when he saw her blush. He didn't know it was possible considering she's just a ghost now but shrugged it off since there are a lot of things he didn't know and one of those is how he could talk to her.

"Like what you see?" Natsu asked as he saw Lucy looking to his torso.

"Don't worry there's a lot more." He said while making a move to remove his pants. Trying hard not to laugh when he saw her face show a terrified look; probably from what he just said.

'_Is he really going to be naked in front of me'_ Lucy thought still unable to move thinking how their conversation turned into this. She can't help but look at Natsu's naked torso. Don't blame her for staring because it is her first time to see a boy's body considering how she was brought up. Her eyes widen when she saw Natsu about to take off his pants and that made her run out of the bathroom while screaming.

"Kyaaaaaa!" She screamed. Natsu laughs while he watches her run with a red face.

"Revenge is sweet." Natsu said satisfied that he had embarrassed her like she did to him. He proceeded to take a shower not long after.

After a few minutes, Natsu found Lucy wearing a disgusted look on her face while looking around his room.

"Wear something, idiot!" Lucy screeched after she saw Natsu wearing only a towel for his lower half.

"Geez, your noisy you know? And besides this is my room. I can walk naked here if I want." Natsu said but when he saw her getting mad and about to shout, he immediately gets his clothes and run to the bathroom to save his ears.

"You happy now?" he asked after going out of the bathroom fully dressed. She nodded and he just "hmph" in response getting his things for school and putting it in his bag.

"Hey, you left a book." Lucy said. "You really should clean your room." She added.

"What for? It will just be messy again so I better not."

"Just clean it! I bet you have a lot of missing things because of this messy room of yours."

"I don't wanna, I didn't wake up early to clean this room."

"It is still too early! School start two hours from now, you still have an hour to clean here and enough time to buy whatever you want. Besides your house is just near school right?"

"How did you know? Stalker!"

"I'm not! I visited to Fairy Academy before and recognised the way to go there when I was following you before."

"You were following me? And you said you aren't a stalker."

"I just tried if I could get out of the park that time and I surprisingly did so I followed you."

"If you could get out of the park?"

"Yes. Since I woke up well, as a ghost I've been there. I tried to go anywhere but for some reason, I'm just going in circles in the park."

"And what is the reason you have in mind?"

"Well I'm not sure because I just went there once so I don't have any attachment in that park but I guess it is because.. I died there."

Natsu is suddenly stunned. The memory of him near the park after going out of the car _that dreadful_ night and the memory of him staring at the blood in the ground with a body near it suddenly appeared and reminds him of the crime he had done.

He gasped when he felt something cold in his arms then turned to look at Lucy who touched him, worry evident in her face.

"What happened? You just suddenly became quiet then looked… scared." Lucy asked looking into Natsu's eyes, an image of lying bloodied girl pop in his mind as he looks into hers. Natsu immediately turn away from her for an unknown reason.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Don't disturb me I'm going to clean my room now." Natsu said and Lucy just nodded still looking into him warily. He was still shaken by the memory but is trying to forget it. '_Why did I suddenly remember that girl when I looked at Lucy a while ago?' _Natsu thoughtwhile cleaning.

' _Maybe it doesn't mean anything' _Natsuthought after cleaning. Cleaning helped Natsu slightly forget about what happened earlier. Well, who wouldn't? He keeps on walking to and fro his room because his clothes, things and garbage were everywhere. He doesn't know cleaning is very exhausting. _No wonder mother stopped cleaning my room, even Wendy finds excuses when I ask her to clean my room after she cleaned it once. _Natsu thought as he collapse onto his bed.

"Well done. Now get up. Eat breakfast so you could avoid being late since you want to buy something before going to school." Lucy ordered.

"Will you stop bossing me around?" Natsu scowled but still get up and walk out from his room with Lucy is in tow. Lucy been dictating things he should do and irks him. He doesn't even know why he is doing the things she's saying; probably because she glares at him when he doesn't do it. And her glare is really similar to a red haired demon he knew.

He saw his mom when he reached the kitchen looking at him with wide eyes. He looked at her confused as why she is acting that way.

"Igneel!" His mother shouted. Igneel rush to get to his wife's side worried as to why she shouted.

Natsu saw his mom point at him and watch his dad turn to look what is his she pointing, his eyes widening too. '_They were acting really weird.' _Natsu thought but then he remembered Lucy.

'_Could it be that they could see her too?_' He thought and he was about to turn and look at Lucy when his father grabbed his face with both of his hands.

"Who are you? What did you do to my son? Where did you bring him? Bring him back, he is an idiot but Grandine and Wendy loves him even though I don't. Ouch! Grandine, what was that for?" Igneel asks his wife as she throws something at him. He looks over to his wife only to see her glare and went back into interrogating the fake Natsu.

"Alien, from what planet are you? Are you sure you want to take my son? The food resources in your planet might be depleted in a day."

"Stupid old man! What are you talking about? Have you gone insane?" Natsu angrily shouted at his father. Who only hit him at head after hearing what he said.

"Well, you could be the real Natsu." Igneel said.

"I am the real Natsu." Natsu retorted.

"Then you must be sick. What are you feeling? What is the last thing you eat? What if it couldn't be cured? Oh no! my baby boy." Grandine panicked as he hugged Natsu. Natsu is about to say something, embarrassed at what his mother just called him, when he heard a gasp from his side. Looking over, he saw Wendy looking at him with wide eyes too.

"Natsu-nii, what happened? Are you sick?" Wendy worriedly asked.

Natsu just rolled his eyes at his overreacting family.

"Geez, I'm fine and I'm the real one. What's with all of you?" Natsu said trying to be calm for his mother and little sister, if he was only talking to his father he might be shouting now.

"Well, you never wake up for school unless someone will wake you up." Grandine said.

"And to think that you wake up this early by yourself. Something's really going on." Wendy added.

Natsu grinned. "I have something to buy before going to school and it seems that I set the alarm too early, I even cleaned my room."

"What?!" Grandine and Wendy shouted while Igneel immediately went upstairs to check Natsu's room.

"It is true! His room is really clean!" Igneel said as he went to his family gawking at Natsu.

"Yes, it is. May I have my breakfast now? I still have to stop at Kageyama's store before going to school." Natsu said. His mother just giggled and served breakfast to his beloved family.

"Natsu-nii, why did you get up early today. I know you already answered it but I guess there is still something else." Wendy asked Natsu.

"I finished a dare and my price money for me to buy the red phones I really want. I need to wake up early to buy those and for me to not be late at school too. And to brag of course." Natsu said grinning to his little sister.

Wendy nodded and Natsu proceeded to eat. Igneel and Natsu are having an eating contest while Grandine is reprimanding them both. Wendy is just laughing while watching them.

Lucy just giggled at the family's antics. Watching them makes her feel and know that this is how a family should be, unlike hers.

* * *

A/N:

That's it for this chapter. I didnt really intend to make Natsu's morning this long but it somehow turned out like this.

Thanks for the reviews and follows:) And for those who haven't please leave a review ^_^


	5. A surprising day

Chapter 5

A Surprising Day!

Natsu rushed out of their home with Lucy after eating breakfast.

"Where are you going Natsu?" Lucy asked noticing that the path that they are walking is not heading to Fairy Academy.

"I'm going to buy headphones right?" Natsu said confused that she forgot it already when she reminds him of that earlier this morning.

"Oh." Lucy said. She forgot about that, thoughts of a warm family filling up her mind as she watches the Dragneels eat their breakfast until they went out of their home.

"Where are you going to buy it? Is there a shop that opens this early?" She inquired again.

"Kageyama's shop. His store is selling everything that is related to music from instruments to gadgets. I usually go there with Gray and Gajeel to buy some CD's sometimes with my friends but each time he saw us approaching his shop he is usually mad. I don't know why. He just says that we are hurting his business. And it is not like we are punching his shop. He is really weird." Natsu said.

"Really? He is rude. He is supposed to welcome customers." Lucy said already disliking that Kageyama. Natsu nodded agreeing with her.

"He really is. We are just allowed to enter there if we are with Erza. And going with her is like hell. We need to ask the girls to go with us so she will also come because if we, the guys, were the only ones to ask her we will probably get a no with a punch in our face."

"Erza?" Lucy questioned trying to remember who Erza is and her face brightened when she remembered her and said "Oh! The red haired demon as you are talked about." Natsu nodded. He started picking up his pace as the shop is coming to his view.

"Yo." Natsu greeted.

"What! Natsu! What are you doing here? It is still too early for you to wreck havoc in my shop. And I already told you that you can't come here if Erza isn't with you." Kageyama angrily said. He couldn't believe that his day will be ruined this early.

'_Wreck havoc?'_ Lucy thought. Confused as to why this Kageyama guy is making a big deal with Natsu's appearance in his shop.

"I didn't know you like Erza that much but I can't help you with her since they said that she has her eyes set on a blue haired boy. I don't know what they mean though. If she is only looking at Jellal, wouldn't she trip while she is walking and she is not supposed to see me and stripper fighting, right?" Natsu said he is confused but just shrugged it off.

"Idiot." Lucy said while listening to Natsu's and Kageyama's conversation. She fully understands what Natsu's friends are talking about.

"Who told you I like her?" Kageyama is dumbfounded _'Where did that idiot get that from?' he thought._

"Well, you are always looking for her. I'm not an idiot you know and Gajeel and Gray thought that too."

"Idiot. I want Erza to go here with you to prevent this shop from being destroyed since the three of you treats this place like a boxing arena." Kageyama said irritation is getting the best of him.

"Hey! We are not that much of a trouble maker and those were just little fights. If you're shop will be destroyed because of that then you're shop must not be sturdy." Natsu said while he punches the wall causing some items that were hanged there to fall.

"What did you do?!" He hollered. "Get out of this place already Dragneel!"

"Wait! I'm going to buy somethi-" Natsu said as he backed away from Kageyama who is about to kill him now but was cut off when Kageyama shouted "Then buy it already and leave."

Natsu immediately gets the red headphones, presented it to him and paid for it. He dashed out of the shop as soon as he got his headphones, knocking down some items in the process. Laughing as he hears him angrily shout at him.

"You should be careful next time. You will really hurt his business if you keep on destroying his items." Lucy said fully understanding the cause Kageyama's wrath as Natsu slowed his paced when he knew that he is out of Kageyama's sight.

"It is fine. You shouldn't worry about that." He said while grinning. He is now testing his new headphones but decided to use it later so he just let it hang on his neck for his friends to see it easily.

Lucy just walks silently beside Natsu, who can't help but feel joyful as Fairy Academy is now in their sight. Lucy is happy and excited to reach her dream school. She also wants to see what kind of students they have there. She heard that the students there are kind and friendly so she wants to see if it is true.

'_I'm missing a lot of things. I hope I could have lived longer.' _She sadly thought.

"What's with that sad look?" Natsu asked her, keeping his voice low so other people won't hear him.

"Nothing. I just thought of something. " she answered.

"And what is that." He pursued.

"I.. I just thought what would be like if I'm still alive." She said looking down, trying to hide her sadness. When she thought she could be finally free, this happened to her. _'I guess fate doesn't like me' _she thought.

Natsu stopped in his tracks and looks at Lucy. He is sad for Lucy but he also feels guilty, he just doesn't know why. He decided to drop the subject and leave her be for a while because Lucy really looks sad now.

The negative aura surrounding them vanished after they entered Fairy Academy. Natsu's happiness and Lucy's excitement coming back as Natsu is now running to his classroom with Lucy trying to catch up with him.

"Good Morning!" Natsu shouted as he enters their classroom. Some greeting him back.

"Why is that idiot loud this morning?" Gajeel asked no one. He is being grumpier because of his lack of sleep and he is trying to sleep before their first class start or hopefully sleep for their entire first class which is nearly impossible. The teachers in the Academy are kind but they strongly implement discipline among students which only applies during class in Gajeel's opinion.

He decided to open his eyes and look around when he heard Levy, who is sitting beside him, gasped. His jaw dropped when he saw who Levy is looking. Salamander has the new red headphones! But maybe he begged his parents to give him money and pretend that he found the box right? He looks around and they're friends also has the same reaction. But it can't be! Salamander is an idiot so he wasn't supposed to find that.

Natsu smirked sensing his friend's disbelief. He gets something from his pocket and showed the free food coupons his friends place inside the box.

"He found it!" Lissana is the first one to snap out of shock and others came to their senses after hearing her. Gray and Gajeel hurriedly went out of their room and went to the park to confirm it.

Natsu heard a giggle from his side and saw that it is from Lucy. "They really don't believe you found it" she said. Natsu just chuckled and went to his seat.

Levy and Lissana approached Natsu. "How's the park?" Levy questioned. Imagining that the park might be ruined right now.

"The park? It is still a park." Natsu answered confused as to why Levy would ask that kind of question. They heard their teacher, Goldmine, enter so the two girls went to their seat.

After a few minutes, Gray and Gajeel came into class and their teacher reprimanding them. They reasoned out with him while glaring at Natsu, who has a smug look, to avoid punishments but they still received minor ones.

After their class, Mira, Erza, Lissana, Levy, Juvia, Elfman, Gajeel and Gray went and asked Natsu.

"So how did you find it?" Erza asked with an accusing tone that Natsu felt like he what he did is a crime.

"I searched the park?" Natsu hesitantly answered.

"How? We buried it." It is now Mira's time to ask.

"Well, I saw an unusual bump near the tree and it looks like it has been dug so I decided to check it." Natsu lied remembering what Lucy had told him earlier when she thought that his friends would question him. And boy, she is right. And with that their second class with their teacher, Bob, started.

It is now their lunch and Natsu's friends can't still accept the fact that he won the dare and it is now irritating him but when he looks at Gajeel's and Gray's face he can't help but feel ecstatic. Then he saw Lissana digging his nose into a book which is weird. Lissana hates studying like him and she studies only if there is a test, so why is she studying? _'Better ask her' _he thought.

"Hey Lissana. Why are you studying?" Natsu asked her and also looking at his friends for answers.

"We have test in our Physics."

"And we also have punishment test in Mathematics." It is now the guys turn to smirk as they saw Natsu turn pale.

"Punishment test?" Lucy asked though no one except Natsu could hear her but it seems that Natsu couldn't answer her because he is surprised.

"P-punishment test? G-Gildarts' punishment test?" Natsu asked afraid of hearing the rest. Just hearing about that is enough to scare him.

Natsu gulped. "Is that the test where the students who failed it will be embarrassingly punished? If I heard the news right last time, there is a group of boys who failed that test and Gildarts made them wear girl's uniform for a day right?"

"Yes. Why? Didn't you hear him announce it at class yesterday?" Mirajane asked worried for her friend.

"No!" He exclaimed sweat forming in his forehead.

"It is a win-win for us." Gray said grinning at Gajeel.

"If we can't embarrass you by calling you scaredy cat, you will surely be embarrassed because of the punishment." Gajeel said.

"Why are you two happy? You two are not supposed to know about that! The three of us were sleeping yesterday!" Natsu accusingly said.

"Shrimp told me about it so I was able to review." Gajeel said smirking at Natsu who turned to Gray.

"I was with them when Levy said it so I heard it too." Gray said satisfied at Natsu's current dilemma.

Natsu immediately gets his book after hearing them. He is trying to remember the words that he'd been reading but the two bastard's grin is distracting him and before he knew it their lunch time is already finished.

Natsu sat on his desk trying to review for his tests when Erza announced that their teacher, Wakaba-sensei, is absent so their third class will be a vacant. Natsu dashed out of the room to the library after hearing that.

At the Library, Natsu is struggling to remember all those terms and formulas but it doesn't stay on his mind for too long. Lucy on the other knows that bothering Natsu is not the best thing to do now so she just silently read with him. After an hour Natsu closed his book with a sigh, knowing that it is futile to try to review with a minimal amount of time. Not long after Natsu got back and took a seat Gildarts-sensei arrived smirking as he saw his nervous students and their nightmare began.

'_What the hell is this?! I didn't know anything about this? Did he really discuss this?!' _ Natsu thought panicking because he can't recognise anything that is written in the test paper. It is as if the test was based on a higher level of Mathematics. And his mind just turned blank!

Gildarts noticed Natsu's odd behaviour. He smirked and said "I guess there is a person here who will surely receive a punishment in this class. And I'm looking forward for it since this guy is a girl's magnet. I wonder how his fans will react if they saw him cosplay a girl anime character for a whole day here at school."

The guys gulped but as they think about it there are only three guys in classroom that are popular with girls and those are Natsu, Gray and Gajeel. They are popular because they are good in sports and are good looking of course. They looked at the three of them, first to Gajeel who seems to be nervous but is managing to hide it, then Gray who is smirking? They got confused but when they looked at whom is Gray smirking at and saw a panic-stricken Natsu they immediately distinguished who Gildarts-sensei is pertaining to.

"Oh my gosh! Natsu-kun will cosplay a girl!" a fan girl of Natsu shouted.

"I won't! I.. I will past this stupid test!" Natsu retorted the class laughed at them but was immediately shut up by their teacher.

Lucy, who is just walking around the classroom, walked to Natsu's desk to see how he is doing worried that he might really get a failing mark.

"What the hell Natsu?! What are you answering?! Heck you're answers aren't even related to the topics where this exam is based from!" Lucy shouted at Natsu. Horror showing her face, she didn't realize that he is this dumb.

"Shut up Lucy. I didn't have the chance to review well." He hissed/whispered.

Lucy sighed and decided to help this poor person in his exam to help him escape an upcoming humiliation. And as the exam ended, Lucy ends up dictating the answers to Natsu who doesn't have a second thought to write Lucy's answers down.

Natsu grabs some drinks after his exam and decided to ask Lucy since they were the only ones at the place in the moment "How did you know the answers?"

"I'm in the same year level as you before I died and I tend to study in advance when I was still alive." She explained.

"So you're smart then. What a waste." He told Lucy then when he notices her sad mood coming back he immediately apologised. "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. "

"It is fine. It is not your fault." She said trying to smile at him but she became worried when she saw Natsu holding his head as if he is in pain.

'_Not my fault?' _he repeated in his mind then the accident five months ago was summoned up in his mind.

'_What's with me? Remembering that accident again when my mind is occupied by other things. And the weird thing is Lucy is the one brings those memories up. Could it be that… No, It couldn't be.' _Natsu thought not paying attention to his surroundings and to a worried Lucy by his side.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked again finally getting Natsu's attention.

"I'm fine. Uhm.. Lucy? When you said you died five months ago is it at the park or near it? How did you… die?" He reluctantly asked.

"Near it. At the road to be exact. I was hit by a car I guess. Why?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just remembered a ghost story like that." He chuckled trying to hide his crisis.

"Oh, another question Lucy. Do you perhaps know who the driver of the car is? Or recall how he looks like?" He asked he is now trembling. Why did he decide to ask these things? He doesn't know.

"No. My mind is scattered when I crossed the road so I didn't know who he is. I didn't even know that there is a car heading my way. The next thing that I know is that I was hit hard from my side and I fell down from the impact. And.. And that person just left me." She frowned.

Natsu is now sweating profusely. He didn't want to believe what his mind is concluding but it is the truth, the pieces fit.

He can't say anything to her that's why he is thankful when Lissana called him and said that Macao-sensei has arrived and their test is about to begin. He is too surprised by what he just discovered.

'_I'll try to forget it for now. I can't tell it to her. I don't want to lose her.' _Natsu thought. He is afraid to lose a new friend, not now that he feels that he is becoming closer to her.

"Lucy. Could you help me again in this test?" He asked her faking a grin.

"Sure." she smiled which turns Natsu's false grin into a real one then they entered the classroom.

The students walk out of their classroom like a zombie after their last subject. They doesn't have enough time to sleep last night and they have to answer very hard tests given by their sadistic teachers making them exhausted and their brain to hurt. All of them except Natsu who has a wide grin, taking pleasure of his classmate's and friend's tired looks.

"Natsu-san? Juvia just wants to ask, why are you grinning?" Juvia asked Natsu whose grin doesn't even falter.

"Flame brain finally snapped." Gray answered her.

"Salamander, I know you can't accept that you will be embarrassed when the results will be announced on Monday but it isn't a good reason for being crazy." Gajeel said smirking at the still grinning Natsu.

"What are you talking about? I will get a perfect score in those tests." Natsu confidently said.

"Stop kidding me Flame breath. We all know how stupid you are that you can barely pass the test if you manage to answer those." Gray said rolling his eyes at his idiotic friends.

"What? You don't believe me? How about we make a bet? If I got a perfect score in our tests, you two will call me Natsu-sama and will be my slave." He said pointing at Gray and Gajeel. Lucy just sighed beside him.

"You're that confident eh? Fine, I'll accept it but if you lose you'll be my slave for a whole year." Gray said not adding the part that he will be called Gray-sama since he always hears it from Juvia.

"Gihee. It's fine with me too and like that pervert you'll also be my slave for a whole year."Gajeel agreed.

"Stop it you three. Gajeel don't join them. We all know that Natsu is just in denial." Levy said to Gajeel but he just ignored her.

"Let them be. At least Natsu will be somehow normal this weekend for our outing if he thinks he can pass the tests." Erza said.

"What's with this weekend?" Natsu asked.

"Remembering nee-chan's birthday is MANLY!" Elfman shouted.

"Tomorrow is Mira-nee's birthday and we will celebrate it at our villa at Akane this weekend" Lissana explained excited for tomorrow.

"What?! Am I the only one who is informed just now?" Natsu asked surprised at the sudden announcement for the third time this day. He thought that being surprised a lot in a day can be bad for his health.

"Nope. The three of you. We thought that the boys will have no problem even if we are to say it this late." Erza said. The boys were about to say something but didn't continue to avoid making Erza angry.

"It is now settled then. Bring swim wear okay? And clothes enough for two days. We are going to meet at the bus stop at 6 in the morning and probably leave Akane in the afternoon so we have enough time to rest and go to school on Monday." The soon to be birthday girl said.

The guys sighed it is still too early for them but agreed. With that everyone went home.

Natsu walked home with the Strauss siblings finally overcoming his fear of going near the park. He is currently talking with Lisanna while her two elder siblings walk ahead of them with Lucy behind him. After a while of walking he felt that Lucy isn't following them anymore so he looked back and saw her in front of a flower shop probably looking at the pink roses that are displayed in the window. An idea came up to his mind so he said to Lissana that he has to buy something and she should go ahead. She nodded but her gaze follows Natsu as he enters the flower shop. She got confused on why he needs to buy flowers but then shrugged thinking that it is maybe for his mother. Natsu doesn't look like it but he can be sweet sometimes. With that thought she runs to catch up with her older siblings.

Natsu walked out of the flower shop with three pink roses in hand. Lucy look confused but he paid it no attention until they reached the park.

"For whom is that for?" Lucy can't help but ask. Natsu bought her favourite flowers and she thinks that the girl whom Natsu will give that is lucky.

"You really don't know?" Natsu answered her question his own question while seating on a swing. They were alone in the park, people stops coming there if night time is near when rumors about a ghost started.

"I wouldn't be asking if I know." Lucy answered standing in front of him with arms crossed while she looks away.

"It's for you, silly." Natsu chuckled as he saw Lucy's surprised look.

"For me? Why?" She asked trying to touch the flowers but her hand goes through it. Natsu smiled at her telling that it is okay and she smiled in return.

"Why you bought three? One is enough." She said blushing as she remembered a romance novel wherein a guy gave the girl three roses and when the girl asked why he said while giving flowers I. Love. You. Three roses for those three words.

"I want to thank you that's why I bought it for you. This one is for helping me finish the dare last night. This one is for giving me answers in the test. And this one is for being a good friend." He said showing each of the roses. Lucy smiled sweetly at him then said "Thank you."

"So where do you want to put it?"

"How about near the tree? That's where you saw me last night" she smiled.

"Oh! I forgot to buy something where I can put it."

"No, it is fine because the kids might ruin that tomorrow."

"Are you sure you still want to put it there knowing the kids might ruin it?"

Natsu is hesitant to just put it the ground because he was sure that Lucy wants it to be in top shape. He looks over tree and saw what he is looking for, a tree hole. He smiled and took out his water bottle in his bag put the flowers and place it to the tree hole. Luckily he still has water for the roses and the hole is shallow. And the hole is high so the kids can't ruin it even if they find it.

"Nice idea, Natsu. Thank you again for the roses." She can't stop smiling, really appreciating what Natsu had done.

"You're welcome. See you on Monday I think." Natsu said bidding goodbye to his friend.

Lucy chuckled and said "Monday? Who told you I will just stay here? I'll come with you guys tomorrow so I will follow you home today."

"Really? That will be cool! Oh and I thought something." Natsu said grinning.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"It's a secret for now. I'll tell you after dinner." He winked. Lucy somehow guessing what he is thinking giggled and nodded. And they went home together.

* * *

**A/N:**

This chapter is quite long isn't it? I was planning to cut this off to just 2,000 words for this chapter and the other half will be posted as another chapter but just decided against it since all of this happened in the same day.

I made the guild masters in Fairy Tail as teachers in the Fairy Academy.

And readers! I'm thinking of adding another genre of this story aside from romance, so do you have any suggestions?

What do you think is in Natsu's mind in the end of the story? :D

Thanks for reading and please leave a review. I love it when I read a review for my story and it convinces me that my story isn't that bad.

So leave a review okay? be it a correction for my grammar or anything that is on your mind. ^_^


	6. His Plan

Chapter 6

His plan

It was the third Saturday of May, the sky is clear and the sun is shining brightly. The weather is in favour for the group of teens that were now energetically racing to the beach while a lone ghost is watching not too far from them with a little envy. The boys immediately plunge into the sea while the girls took their clothes off to reveal their swimsuit underneath. They swim, build sand castles, and play different games until lunch.

"We should have a competition." Natsu suggested after eating.

"You guys have been competing the whole morning." Levy said. She wants to spend some alone time with a certain guy but Natsu and Gray keep on coming up with ridiculous contests and Gajeel is an idiot who joins it whenever he hears teasing from the two. Of course, Elfman being a man joins them too to prove that he is a man as he always says.

"Let's have a beach volleyball competition!" Lissana announced.

"That's a great idea! I'll be the referee." Mirajane said.

"But Mira-nee you're the birthday girl. You should have fun with us." Lissana said while the others just nodded.

"I'm fine. It's more fun to watch you guys besides were an odd number so one must be the referee." Mira smiled.

"If that's what you want Mira." Erza sighed.

"What are you waiting for? Go get your partners." Erza hollered.

"W-wait. Juvia thinks that the guys should be partnered with girls." Juvia suggested.

"I agree with Juvia. I really don't want to have two monsters as an opponent." Levy said.

"Whatever. I don't mind whom I partnered with. Let's start the competition." Natsu said bored that his friends all do is just talk.

"Juvia will be Gray-sama's partner." Juvia said as she immediately clings into Gray's arm. Gray tried to shake her off but did not succeed.

"A man should be partnered with his little sister!" Elfman shouted as he moved to Lissana's side. Lissana smiled to his brother.

"Shrimp will be my partner." Gajeel said while Levy blushed. Gajeel looks at Levy with cheeks a bit pink and said "It is not like I like you to be my partner. You're just the best choice among these girls here."

'_Me? Best choice?'_ Levy thought as her face is now turning red.

"Natsu will be my partner then." Erza said. Natsu gulped and nervously looks at Erza.

"I thought you don't mind who you'll be partnered with huh Flame Brain? What's with that pathetic face?" Gray snickered.

"Shut up Stripper!" Natsu retorted. Gray is about to tell something but stop when Erza coughed silently telling them that she will beat the crap out of them if they didn't stop.

"Minna! Let the competition begin!" Mira said.

And so the competition has begun. The game ended before sunset with Natsu and Erza as the winners. Gajeel and Levy got the second highest points, Elfman and Lissana with the lowest number of points among the three that was already mentioned since Gray and Juvia have zero points.

"Hahaha! Loser underwear prince." Natsu laughed at Gray.

"Useless. Gihee" Gajeel smirked.

"Shut up! I could beat the two of you!" Gray shouted.

"It doesn't seem like that to me. Mr. Zero points." Natsu said provoking Gray.

"I could have won if Juvia only concentrate on the game and not by clinging to me all the time!" Gray fumed.

"Too bad for you." Gajeel dismissively said walking to Levy, who is helping the others set things up for the campfire. They decided to have barbecue for dinner and to have campfire before they went inside the house to sleep.

Natsu went to the shore looking for Lucy. He knows too well that the others don't want his presence near them if they were that busy preparing for the barbecue and campfire. It is not like he wanted to help anyway, he chooses to talk to Lucy than help them since he don't have the chance to talk to her all day.

"There you are." Natsu said as he found Lucy in the shore just a bit far from his friends a safe distance to talk to her without his friends noticing him.

"Hey." Lucy smiled at him.

"Sorry for not talking to you for the whole day." He apologised.

Lucy giggled "It is fine. It is not like you can call me to join you guys anyway. Besides watching you and the others keep me entertained."

Natsu smiled at her and did not say anything because he felt that Lucy wanted watch the sunset in silence. Which is true, Lucy is glad that Natsu come for a bit to give her company.

"Natsu! Come here and eat dinner!" Lissana called him.

"See ya later Lucy. I can't wait for later." Natsu winked at her.

Lucy giggled and said "You mischievous one." Natsu grinned and walks towards his friends.

Natsu and the others are having fun around the campfire talking to each other and sharing some stories when they heard thunder erupt from the sky and soon raindrops follow. Everyone groaned and packs their things to go inside the villa. All of them groaned because their plan to stay outside longer for the night is spoiled except for a pink haired boy that walks behind everyone who is grinning evilly.

"This is perfect." He said.

"Are you sure about this? This might spoil Mira-san's birthday you know?" Lucy who suddenly appeared beside him said.

"Don't worry about that. Mira loves horror stuff." He reassured her.

"Natsu! Hurry up and come inside! Do you want to get drenched?" Erza shouted.

"Coming!" Natsu ran into the house with Lucy in tow.

"What's with the rain? It is all sunny this morning." Gray frowned.

"It is really uncalled for." Lissana said crossing her arms and frowning as well.

"It is fine guys. At least we still managed to have some time around the campfire just as we planned." Mira smiled and tried to cheer them up.

They sighed. If it is fine for Mirajane then they have to be fine with it also. They just opted to watch some movies since they still seem restless as if they didn't spend their whole day playing and swimming under the sun.

The boys are silently complaining as they watch the movie with boredom. The girls of course watch a chick flick and they couldn't voice out they're complains for two reasons:

It was Mira who chose the movie; even though they are idiots most of the time, they were being extra careful today to not ruin Mira's special day and

Erza would kill them if they try to interrupt them.

"Aha! Gray you brought some comics right? This is now the perfect time to read those." Natsu exclaimed but immediately met the girls glare so he tried to lower his voice.

"Go get those comics Gray." Natsu ordered.

"It's in the room. I'm too lazy to get it." Gray said ignoring the fact that Natsu just give him an order since he is too lazy to fight with him.

"So you choose to watch that?" Natsu said while pointing at the television.

"Fine." Gray grumbled as he made a move to stand up.

"Payback plan commence."Natsu whispered to himself. He smirked and secretly nodded Lucy who also looks excited.

* * *

Gray goes to the room where the boys will be staying for the night. He didn't bother to open any lights since he doesn't plan to stay longer in the room, just get the comics then leave. He notices that the room is a bit too chilly but he just ignored it since he is used to a cold temperature. He recalled that he placed his bag on his bed and if he remembered correctly, his bed is on the right side of the room near the window. So he approach it but he unexpectedly collides with the table knocking some things over to the floor.

He is about to pick the things up when he saw someone pass outside the curtain covered window as a lightning strike.

'_Who's that?'_ He thought. '_Mira said that we are the only people here and it is impossible that the girls would go outside in the rain, even those idiots since they are busy conserving their energy.'_ He shrugged it off and continue to reach whatever things that fell onto the floor but he quickly stand up straight again and look outside the window as he remembered an important fact. '_This room is on the second floor!'_ Just as he looks at the window a lightning strikes and he saw the human figure again.

'What's going on? Is that really a human?' he thought. His heart start beating faster and he turns every time he saw something move in the shadows in the corner of his eye.

"Calm down Gray, that was just a weird shadow. Aliens aren't true and so as ghosts. Zombies can't just pass by a window that is located on the _second floor _so forget it. Get those damn comics and go out." He talks to himself out loud to convince himself. He won't go down there screaming because he got scared of some shadows. He will just be a laughing stock.

With the comics in hand, Gray is about to turn to go out when his necklace suddenly slipped from his neck. He cursed when he saw it land under the bed, he crouch down to get it but he didn't expect to see something else besides the necklace. The air left his lungs as he saw a ghost under the bed with long black hair covering the ghost's face and glowing red eyes staring right at him. He felt his body immediately turn cold as the ghost made a move towards him. He left the room in panic forgetting about the comics, his necklace and his shirt that he unconsciously stripped off.

He ran fast to the room where his friends are. A chair was knock over by him that immediately got his friends attention.

The movie is paused by the girls to look at what made the noise and they saw Gray who looks like he had run from the other side of the world by the way he was panting hard. He was wide eyed and his skin is paler than usual, panic and fear clearly shown in his face.

"Gray what happened?" Erza asked. The movie is now getting into the good part and Gray just needs to ruin it by creating noises.

"The-there's a g-ghost." He answered still in shock.

"What did you say Gray-sama?" Juvia asks walking closer to Gray.

Gray grabbed Juvia's arms and shouted "There's a ghost!" He turned to the others and shouted "There's a ghost in our room!"

Levy and Lissana instantly hug each other as they shivered.

"S-stop joking Gray. This isn't a good time to say things like that!" Levy said. She really can't handle things like. Yes she read horror stories but she gets a bit paranoid after reading, thinking that what she read will happen to her too. The weather is not helping too, it is raining really hard outside and that is a perfect time for a ghost to haunt them.

"I'm not joking! I saw it! Under my bed, with long black hair and glowing red eyes!" he desperately said to convince them that he is not playing a prank on them. Why would he? Erza is with them, that is the only reason to don't do things like that.

All of them were surprised when they heard desperation in his voice and when they saw panic and fear still on his face proving that he is telling the truth. All of them, except one who just finished taking pictures and began to laugh loudly.

"Bwahahaha!" Natsu laugh and all attention are immediately on him.

"What are you laughing at Pinky?! This is not a laughing matter! The ghost might do something to us! Like kill us one by one in the grossest way!" Gray shouted offended that someone is laughing at his predicament.

'_As if she will do that.' _Natsu thought as he heard what Gray said.

"Kyaa! Stop putting ideas like that in our heads Gray!" Lissana shouted terrified at the thoughts that are escalating in her mind.

"Scaring girls are not a MANLY thing to do Gray." Elfman said as he comforts his little sister with Mirajane who isn't fazed by what is happening. Elfman himself is slightly shaken from what Gray said.

"Hahaha! Are you telling us that you saw Gajeel under your bed?! I didn't know that you admire Gajeel that much that you had imagined him under your bed." Natsu said as he continues to laugh.

"Idiot! I didn't say it was Gajeel!" Gray retorted.

"You said the ghost has long black hair and red eyes." Natsu chuckled.

Everyone turned to look at Gajeel for a while and Mira giggled. Gajeel scowled at them, annoyed at Gray who tells them ridiculous things like that but he was more irritated at Salamande who said that he was the one who the stripper describes as the ghost.

"What?! But I saw a real ghost! That wasn't my imagination. The ghost was much scarier than that wimp!" Gray yelled. He now looks like a fool in front of everyone thanks to Natsu.

"Who are you calling a wimp? You scared pansy!" Gajeel answered.

"I'm not a pansy, you loser. If all of you don't believe me then go to our room." Gray defended himself.

And with that everyone went upstairs to put an end to the commotion that Gray started.

"There! Under that bed." Gray points at his bed as they reached the room.

"I'll go check it." Mira said walking towards the bed that Gray pointed.

"There's no one there and Gray, here's your necklace." Mira smiled sweetly at them as she went back to her friends who stayed near the door.

"But.." Gray tried to reason but Natsu interrupted him.

"See. Gray just made all that up." Natsu said nonchalantly.

"I'll let you off the hook now since I need to know what will happen next in the movie." Erza glared at Gray. Some girls glared at him too.

"Let's not be mad at Gray, shall we? Besides ghosts don't actually stay in one place." Mira said and the two blue haired girls together with Lissana immediately shivered.

"See." Gray smiled triumphantly because someone believed him.

"Unknown to us the ghost might be watching us, or the ghost might appear in front of Gajeel in the dark, or Elfman might see the bloody ghost in the bathroom later." Mira smiled as if what she said isn't disturbing.

All of them shivered except Mira and Gajeel. Even Natsu shivered since what Mira said kinda happened to him too but he won't let anyone know that. Erza shivered too when she imagined things like that would happen to her but she doesn't believe ghosts so she immediately managed forget her fear. As for Gajeel, he didn't believe craps like ghost until he saw one. He is a firm believer of "To see is to believe."

"Mira-nee, stop saying things like that." Lissana whined.

"Sorry. Come on guys, let's go down now." Mira said.

The group went down stairs but they were surprised when all the lights went off and a loud thunder was heard as soon as they reached the living room.

* * *

A/N:

Sorry if I took so long to update.

So how was the chapter? I consider erasing the part where Gray saw the ghost in the bedroom and just proceed to the part where Gray is rushing to tell them about the ghost because I think that part doesn't seem scary as what is supposed to be.

I also thought of watching or reading horror stuffs for me to have an idea on how to write scary things but decided against it because I'm kinda like how I described Levy in terms of horror stuffs, hahaha.

Thank you for those who review/follow/favorite this story! I'm really happy specially when I read your reviews so keep leaving a review ;D

Oh! If you have any suggestions for the story or some scenes for Natsu and Lucy, you can say it to me and will be appreciated.

Thank you for reading ^o^


	7. Parent's Misery

Chapter 7

Parent's Misery

"Who they think they are to order me around?" Gajeel grumbled as he tries to find the flashlight in the kitchen as what the girls has told him to do. The room is dark that he can barely see. The occasional lightning is his only source of light.

"Why did they even order me to get it? Natsu is there too, they should just ask that idiot or even that gay Stripper and Elfman." Gajeel said as he remembered how Elfman yelled that he saw the ghost when he saw him, mistaking him as the ghost out of surprise which results to deafening screams from the girls when they turned to look to where Elfman is pointing.

"Why do those girls needs to scream their lungs out? It's just a blackout, a freaking blackout. And why do they need to be afraid of a ghost? Ghost can't do anything to them, they aren't even re-" Gajeel's ranting stopped when the windows slammed open by an ice cold wind, letting the rain in startling him.

"Gajeel! Where's the flashlight?" Gajeel heard Erza yell from the living room. He is about to answer when he saw a flash of white. He just ignores it, thinking his eyes are just playing tricks on him and just turn to search for the flashlight again.

A few more minutes of searching got him impatient, how he was supposed to find that thing in this dark room not to mention that it is placed in one of the cabinets according to Mira. While searching, he saw something white pass by again and that's when he decides to stop for a while to look if what he saw is true. He leaned with one hand pressed on top of the table near him while facing the archway into the kitchen, since that is where he last saw it.

Gajeel is looking where he last saw that white thing when he become aware of another presence with him, turning around he confirmed that he is the only one in the kitchen. He tries to ignore it but he feels that the presence is just near him and that's when something cold become in contact with his hand that is on the table. He turns to see what is it and to his surprise, it's the flashlight! He was one hundred percent sure that the flashlight isn't on the table before. Could it be that what Stripper said about the ghost earlier is true? He doesn't want to believe it but something inside of him tells that what just happened is a proof, the presence and the sudden appearance of the flashlight.

He remains still as he tries to clear his mind from his absurd ideas. He quickly grabs the flashlight and made his way to his friends when he thought of trying the flashlight if it works. He turns to his left and opens the flashlight only to be startled by an image in the full-body mirror that he didn't know located to his left. An image that almost makes his heart jump out of his ribcage… his own image. He groaned in frustration when he realized that his own image just frightened him. If someone saw him they will be surely die out of laughing right now, who's an idiot to be afraid of his own reflection anyway? He continued to glare at his reflection with the flashlight still on hand, as if accusing the reflection of purposely frightening him when he saw something appear behind him in his reflection. He stared at it in surprise and realized that this one looks exactly how Gray described the ghost. He whipped his head to look but no one is behind him, turning to look at the mirror again is a mistake when he saw the ghost got nearer to him. He can actually feel it, he feels the area turn cold and he suddenly got goose bumps. He can even feel cold breaths at the back of his neck. Without any second of hesitation, he runs towards his friends.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a big mansion somewhere in Fiore…

"Are there any news about our daughter, Jude?" A beautiful blonde haired woman asked her husband. Worry evident on her features, it didn't disappear since the day she discovered her daughter's disappearance and her worry just increases day by day.

The man questioned just shook his head, silently telling her the opposite of the answer she hoped for.

"Its five months already and there's still nothing? How could that be?" Her voice rising as her agitation getting the best of her replacing her usual kind and loving demeanor.

"The detective hasn't reported anything yet." answered Jude who is trying to act calm, knowing that nothing will be accomplished if they both lose their temper.

"The detective? You hired a single detective to search for our daughter?! Are you really trying to find her? You could hire every police man, soldier or ordinary citizen here in Fiore but you just hired one? Are you thinking that our child doesn't worth spending your money for? I knew it, we should have said to the media that our daughter is missing the day I discovered it but no you have to refuse it!" Layla accusingly shouted. She knew that she shouldn't act or say things like this but not seeing and not knowing anything about her daughter is killing her every day.

"And what?! Put her in a lot more danger?!" Jude snapped at his wife. "You should know that if she is captured and they discovered that she is the heiress of the Heartfilia family, they could ask a huge amount of money that could bring us down without the reassurance of our daughter's safety."

"So you're concern is much more about the money than our daughter?! It is always about wealth that you're thinking of. If you only have spared some time and showed some love to our daughter she won't run away!" she yelled, anger lacing at her voice.

"Time?! Love?! Am I the only one who failed to give her time huh, Layla? If you haven't left her at a young age with your selfish excuse to fulfil your dreams then you could have given her all your time and love that she needed." He argued.

His words are mercilessly stabbed at Layla's heart. Her anger vanishing leaving her in agony. "This is my entire fault. I've been a bad and selfish mother. I should just have stayed with my precious daughter." Tears flowing from her brown eyes that held guilt, sorrow, regret and loneliness in them as his husband looks at her eyes.

"Our daughter, Layla. I know I'm not a good father but she is my daughter too and I regret everything that I've done just like you do but please don't lose hope." He said, his voice full of regret and sadness replacing his angered ones.

She continues to cry in her husband's embrace and said "How could I not, Jude? Five months has already passed and there is no news about our daughter and even no words from her. I know our daughter, Jude. She doesn't hold grudges. She would definitely write us a letter if she is fine and us not receiving anything from her means she is not fine or worst she might be dead!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I'm sorry if I took a lot of time to update, I just kinda got busy and maybe become busier because school will start tomorrow :/

I opened my facebook the night before and decided to scroll down on Pages that I like when I discovered people bashing Lucy in a certain post in a FT fan page. I got mad because of it. The ones who said it are Lissana fans, they usually tells that Lucy is useless and just for fan service. There's a Lucy fan who said that she hates Lissana and an admin immediately removes the comment and said that she is not supposed to bash an character but if it's Lucy who got bashed that admin didn't removes the comment maybe because she is also a fan of Lissana & NaLi and an obvious Lucy & NaLu hater. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Lissana the ones I hate are those Lissana or other character's fans that hate Lucy and shouting it for the whole world to know. Geez, can't they just keep it to themselves if they hate her? or just post comments on a page where all of the likers hate Lucy  
(if there is any)? and an admin shouldn't display her hate in a character in a FT page right?

sorry for the rant. I can still get annoyed if I remember that. I wonder why Lucy fans doesn't react to that, just a few but maybe the reason is they are mature enough to accept that not all likes Lucy.

*sighs* so much for that., anyway dear readers, what do you think about the chapter? please do tell.

Leave a review a too, it can help chase away the bad vibes ;)

Ja matta ne~ I'll try my best to update weekly, I hope I can.


	8. Picture Perfect Memories

Chapter 8

Picture Perfect Memories

Natsu walks home from school with a big grin plastered on his face. He knows he looks weird or even crazy but he can't help it, today's events are really funny. The looks of Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman were hilarious when he showed them their photos during their I-encountered-a-ghost-and-I'm-obviously-freaking-o ut state. They look as if they wanted to instantly turn into dust and be blown by the wind just to escape humiliation.

* * *

"_Hey! Stripper! Metal face! I have something to show you!" Natsu called. Natsu knows well that the whole gang will approach him even though he doesn't call all of them. _

_The gang walked towards Natsu noticing that he is holding something in his hand._

"_What do you want?" Gray asked. He is obviously not in the mood to deal with his friend / enemy's idiocy. He is still pissed at what happened at the villa. He feels as if his manliness was cut into half for being scared of a puny thing and worst is he wants to forget everything but Natsu won't just leave it down. His whole morning is filled with his friends teasing him about the ghost. He thought he could finally find peace during their lunch break but no, Natsu have to call him. _

_Gajeel just grunted beside Gray, obviously on the same boat with him. Of course he received the same amount of teasing and humiliation same as Gray and Elfman. _

"_Geez, no need to be grumpy. I just want to give you some photos for you to remember our trip from Akane." Natsu said as he handed his friends the photos, his grin never left his face._

_Gajeel, Gray and Elfman grabbed the photos to look at them only for their eyes to widen after seeing their photos, their friends looking over at it from their side._

"_W-what the heck is this Natsu?!" Gray shouted, his face turning red from embarrassment and fury as he looks at his photos that shows his mini panic after he had seen the ghost at the villa._

_Gajeel has his eyes wide open but turned into thin slits as he glares at Natsu. Elfman on the other hand saying "This is unmanly!" over and over again. From their expression, people could conclude that they were clearly furious from what they saw. Of course they would be furious, who wouldn't be? Their "Thoughtful" friend had captured a photo of the very moment of their life that they want to bury deep within their mind._

_The girls just giggled at their friends but they couldn't help but wonder how and when Natsu took the pictures._

* * *

Natsu's great mood faltered a bit after remembering what happened a few minutes before his friends allowed him to go home after they interrogated him. Natsu shuddered at the memory. Well who wouldn't?! Erza nearly beheaded him!

"_Speak!" Erza ordered as she shoved Natsu at the wall still holding his neck. Tight. How did he do it? How come he got a perfect score? He, who doesn't know about the tests. He who hadn't has time to study properly. Could he possibly be able to remember everything written on the book in just an hour? No. That's clearly impossible. They need to study three chapters for that test. Even she herself finds an all night not enough to remember all the things she read, so how did this pink haired boy managed to get a higher score than her? Let alone a perfect score? Gildarts-sensei and Macao-sensei were sure surprised by the result but doesn't seem to suspect Natsu for cheating, both claiming that they watched Natsu and the others closely during the exam. _

_Fine, if they wouldn't question Natsu then she will be the one to do that. Erza don't want to be mean but she had known him for a long time and she knows it's impossible. She also knows that Natsu isn't the one who cheats at the subjects of Macao-sensei and Gildarts-sensei but who knows what he can do at the time of his desperation. _

"_Erza, you can't possibly get an answer from him if you keep on crushing his throat like that." Levy said, a bit worried about her pink haired friend._

"_Don't stop her Levy, the idiot deserves it." Gray said as he feels happy seeing his frienemy suffer for his hopefully last moment on earth._

_Erza noticing how Natsu isn't moving much anymore decided to let go of him._

"_Now, tell us how you cheated that even Gildarts'- sensei who has keen eyes doesn't even notice." Erza said._

"_Why? Does the great Erza want to know the art of cheating to get a perfect score? Too bad I can't tell you anything because I didn't cheat during the test." Erza narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not believing him. 'Well I didn't really cheat that time, not unless you consider getting an answer from a ghost as a form of cheating.' Natsu thought._

"_Then how come you got a perfect score for both our exams last Friday Natsu?" Lissana asked._

"_I asked some help from the heaven to give me some help and then an angel came and gave answers." Natsu said with a straight face, he couldn't afford to smile for the fear of losing his life even though he really wants to laugh from what he said. He knows that Erza is strict and wouldn't tolerate bad actions such as cheating but he had never thought that she would be reacting like this. Maybe she really put a great amount of effort into studying for that test._

"_What are you talking about?! Stop kidding me!" Erza hollered as she was about to seriously damage the brain of his pink haired friend but was held back by a softly giggling Mirajane who said "Let it go, Erza. If Natsu didn't cheat then there's no other explanation for him to get a perfect score in Math and Physics than a miracle."_

_When Natsu saw Erza slowly calming down, he carefully start to distance himself and sprinted away from his friends while yelling "I didn't really cheat! Believe me!" and "Gray! Gajeel! I won the bet so better start your duty tomorrow as my servants!"_

* * *

Lucy on the other hand feels the exact opposite of what Natsu feels. Yes, she feels happy that she was able to help her friend but she suddenly felt so sad that day. She extremely misses her parents. She wants to know how their doing. She wants to see them, to hug them and talk to them. But in her current state, she couldn't do anything of those since she's stuck either at the park or at Natsu's side.

Why she wasn't able to leave the park is understandable to Lucy since that is the place where she died but what she couldn't comprehend is how come she was able to leave the park as long as she's near Natsu. She read some books that a dead person's soul could become attached a place that has something to do with their death or things/place that are important to them but she didn't know that it is also applicable to persons. _'But why Natsu? Could it be that he is the one responsible for my death?' _Lucy immediately pushed that idea out of her mind as soon as she thought of that. '_It's impossible. Natsu is still young to be allowed to drive so it can't be him.' _

'_I wonder why I'm still in earth though. Shouldn't I already be in heaven now? I haven't done anything bad, except for running away from home so I should still be accepted in heaven right? It's not like I killed someone.' _Lucy thought.

'_Oh! I know! Maybe because I still have some unfinished businesses. Well I have a lot, I haven't reached my dreams yet and that is understandable because I died early.'_

'_Maybe I should just accept my death and stop thinking what could have been happened if I hadn't died.' _Lucy doesn't want to admit to herself that she is regretting what she had done. Thinking that maybe she's with her mom now or maybe if she just waited for a little longer maybe she could find true friends or even true love. If only she just think all of it through. Well, she thought about her plan thoroughly: escape, find a place to live, study at Fairy Academy, get a scholarship if possible to lessen her expenses, find part time job to support herself and more importantly make lots of friends that's what she planned and she DID NOT expected that she would be hit by a car of a bastard who doesn't even helped her.

If that man just helped her maybe she could have lived, maybe she wouldn't be stuck in earth as a ghost painfully watching everyone as they continue to live, maybe she will be able to proceed with her plan and live a simple life just like what she wanted. She would not hate the man as long as he helped her and regretted his actions but he didn't. Maybe that man doesn't even remember what happened five months ago when he ended a life that was just about to begin to truly live.

"Hey Lucy!" A boy's voice cut her depressing thoughts. Lucy looks up ahead only to find a post that she would have painfully slammed into if she didn't go through it just like a ghost does.

"What the heck Natsu! You didn't even tell me that I will run onto a post!" Lucy angrily shouted.

"It's not like you will run onto it. You always past through things, that is one of a ghost's abilities right?" Natsu said while looking ahead. Lucy flinched at what he said. He doesn't need to rub it in her face that she is just a mere ghost.

"And even though you are still alive and is about to run into a post or wall, I still wouldn't do anything to prevent it." Natsu added not noticing that Lucy flinched from what he said earlier.

"What?! You wouldn't even tell me that I will about to get hurt?! Friends suppose to be helping each other." Lucy said as she scowled.

"Hey! I never said that I will not help you. Of course I will help you, just after I laugh my guts out." Natsu laughed.

"Meanie." Lucy answered while huffing but later smiled softly at Natsu who showed her his own grin. Natsu just make her feel better.

Lucy looked around and surprised that they just entered the Dragneel's household and thought that that's the reason why Natsu is freely talking to her now.

"Come on Lucy. Let's go the kitchen, I'm hungry." Natsu said as he finished changing clothes.

Natsu and Lucy went to the kitchen. Natsu joined Wendy as she eats some snacks, Lucy stayed at his side watching him devour everything within a short period of time. Later, all of them went to the living room and saw Grandine looking into an album.

"What's that mom?" Wendy asked.

"Wendy! Natsu! Come and sit beside me, let's look into this album together." Grandine said smiling at her children.

When the two sat beside their mother they saw their mother in a sailor uniform with a huge smile in her face in the picture, her hair was just a little past her shoulder before unlike now that her hair reached her waist and always braided. They all looked together, with Lucy included, at the photos of Grandine in her younger days and laughing at some silly ones. Natsu and Wendy occasionally ask or comment about some of the photos and Grandine would answer with a soft smile as if she is reliving her happy memories again. Lucy enjoyed watching them interact until she saw a particular photo which made her heart beat a little bit faster. And as Natsu's heart stopped for a while as he saw that photo too and the several more photos of the two blonde haired brown eyed young women. One of them looks a lot like Lucy.

They all saw the photos of two blondes, one with long hair and curls in the end that reached her mid back and the other blonde has a straight hair that is a little bit longer than the first. The photo is taken in some sort of a dressing room. Both blonde looks like they were preparing for some sort of a show judging from their fashionable clothes and their pretty face that was made even prettier with a little bit of makeup. The next photos include both blondes singing in front of a huge crowd, them waving at their fans, signing autographs, attending press conference, in a mall holding an album as if their promoting it, shopping, eating together and lots more that celebrities do.

"Mom, I didn't know that you are close friends with these two super stars." Wendy said looking at her mother who is giggling softly.

"Yeah mom, I didn't know that. Wait, Wendy you know these two?" Natsu asked.

"Yes, I saw an album with the picture of the two blonde in front of it somewhere in the house so I decided to listen to it and they are a really good singers!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Mom, let me meet them please." Wendy pleaded her mother cutely.

"You are talking to one of them sweetie." Grandine said earning a gasp and a loud "What?!" from her children.

"But mom, they're both blondes and you have a blue hair whom I inherited my hair color from so it can't be you." Wendy said.

"Yeah mom, don't joke with us." Natsu deadpanned.

"Well, there are things like temporary hair dyes before." Grandine said which immediately stopped the confusion of everyone present in the room.

"How?" "Why?" Natsu and Wendy simultaneously said.

"Mom would tell you a little secret okay? Be quiet and don't tell it to anyone okay?" Grandine said smiling at her children.

"Well, I wished to be a singer when I was younger so when an opportunity came I grabbed it and auditioned as Blue Pegasus' newest talent. I got in and met the other blonde in the picture, her name is Layla. We got along very well and one time when we are singing together a talent manager heard us said that we could immediately be a superstar if we worked together, and we agreed. It took us a few months before we debuted because we still need to polish our skills and during that time the staff and our manager noticed our resemblance and said that we could be mistaken as twins if not only for the different hair color. After a few weeks, I suggested that I should dye my hair blonde before we will be introduced as the new talents of the agency and they immediately agreed telling that we could get even be popular with the twins concept. I also suggested that I should have a stage name and my real name should not be revealed so I went with the name Lenalee."

"Why mom?" Wendy asked.

"I just thought that maybe I want some simple and quiet life if we ever got popular. And we really did and that's when I met your father." Grandine said and Wendy immediately squealed.

"How? How did you and Daddy met?" Wendy excitedly asked. Natsu just continued to listen silently nodding and smiling from time to time.

"He went to one of our concerts and he was the lucky man who was chosen to spend a day with us after our concert, turns out that he wasn't really our fan and he was just got dragged at the concert by his friends. He immediately became our friend and we continue to contact each other. I gave him my number the first night we met. He didn't know any of my secrets until a few more couple of months and that's when we started dating and eventually got married. Layla and I quit our singing career when we discovered were both pregnant."

"Wait mom, you are the only one who gave your number to Daddy before? How about Layla-san? I thought that the three of you immediately became friends?" Wendy asked.

"Well, Layla have a boyfriend that time so she didn't give her number saying that it will be a pain to explain to her boyfriend. That is always the situation between us, if there is a man that needs our contact it is my number that is given and it will be my duty to tell her about the important details that was said by our manager. Layla's boyfriend name is Jude Heartfilia, he is a possessive kind of boyfriend but a nice and a gentleman too. He was starting a business that time. Layla told me once that they met in high school. He is also the man whom Layla married. They're so sweet aren't they? They love each other for a long time now and as far as I know they have a daughter named Lucy. I can't tell more than that because it's been a long time since I've talked to Layla. The last time I've talked to her is a year after we gave birth, she was telling me her plan of going back to becoming a celebrity and will try to become actress after five years, which she did. She became famous and busy because of movies after movies that she's been doing."

Lucy smiled as she heard a little about her parent's past. It's kind of disappointing that she heard it from another person but it is still better than hearing nothing.

"Mom, why didn't you continue your dream just what like Layla-san did?" Wendy asked.

Her mom smiled softly while tucking some hair behind her daughter's ear while saying "Because I got a new dream."

"What is it mom?"

"My new dream became you and your brother. I dreamed to become a loving, kind and supportive mother who will be always at my children's side to help them fulfil their own dream." Grandine answered.

Both her child smiled at her and hugged her.

Natsu didn't speak throughout the story as he realized that the daughter of her mother's friend, the girl whom he accidentally killed, and his blonde haired brown eyed ghost friend are one.

Lucy turned away as tears rolled down her cheeks. She felt sad and jealous; Jealous because even though Grandine also dreamed to become popular she set aside that dream just to be with her children and sad because she will not be able to feel such love from her mother.

Lucy turned to look when she heard when gasp and squeal as she continued to look to the pictures. She went and look at it herself when she saw Natsu blushing and gasp after she saw the pictures.

It is hers and Natsu's pictures when they were toddlers.

"H-How? M-mom?" Natsu stuttered as he wanted to ask how he met Lucy before. He didn't know that they already met each other.

"I told you I met with Layla after a year we gave birth right? Well, I brought you with me of course. I wouldn't leave you alone at home with your destructive father for a long time considering that Layla's and Jude's mansion is far from here." Grandine smiled and kissed Natsu's cheek as she got up to prepare dinner.

Natsu, Lucy and Wendy continued to look trough the pictures which shows toddler Lucy and Natsu together, playing, eating and sleeping. There is also picture of Lucy and Natsu hugging each other in the garden, a picture of Lucy crying because Natsu stole the cookie that she was about to eat and a picture next to it that showed both Natsu and Lucy bawling. They heard a loud shriek and looked up and saw Grandine who looks dreamily at the pictures of the baby Natsu and baby Lucy.

"You saw that picture when Lucy cried? You ate her cookie that time Natsu and the next picture showed what happened next. You cried to right after she started crying, maybe you felt bad and you don't know to make her stop or apologize." Grandine sighed happily and went to the kitchen to proceed with what she's been doing.

After an hour, they had dinner and Natsu decided to go to the park with Lucy to get some fresh air.

"You are really quiet today. What's the matter?" Natsu asked as he seats on a swing.

"Nothing." Lucy answered seating in the swing beside Natsu.

"You know I won't believe that."

"I just missed my parents. It's been 8 months since I last saw mom and 6 months since I last saw dad. Mom is always away from home because of her work and she is usually out of the country, same as dad but dad is able to go back home a lot more than mom. Dad being away at business trips and present at home is just the same except that I have someone that could eat with me. I am not that close to dad because I can't talk to him for fear that I might disturb him while working. I tried talking to him once when he was in his office and that didn't end well. He ended up yelling at me to stop bugging him and just focus on studying. Mom is nice though, she loves me a lot and she spends all her time with me if she's at home."

Natsu just listened to her silently as he hears hurt and sadness in her voice.

"I am just alone together with our servants in a lonely and large mansion. I don't have friends because I am home schooled. Maybe that's the reason why I left home, to actually feel that I am more important than their work and to find friends that could give me company. But… But I died, and I regretted all the things that I had done. I keep thinking of what could have happened if I didn't ran away from home. But regrets won't change anything and as a result, I won't be able to feel it again, how warm is it to hugged and be loved by someone." Lucy cried.

"That's why I am thankful that I met you and became your friend. You are my first friend Natsu and you're special to me because of that. You made me believe that I am not truly hated by the heavens because they gave me a friend like you." she smiled at Natsu while tears are streaming down her cheeks.

Natsu gulped. He felt bad. He stole a lot from Lucy. He is afraid to lose a friend, ghost or not, Lucy is his friend but she has the right to know. And now is the right time to say it. He can't have her thinking that he is a good and special friend when he was the reason why she was crying right now. The mistake he did that night is the root of all of her regrets. And here she was thanking him for being her friend not knowing about the truth but he will change that.

"Lucy, I want to tell you something." Natsu said. Regret, fear and determination shown in his eyes.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hello my Dear readers!

I'm sure you already know what will Natsu say in the next chapter :)

Sorry for not being able to update this story for a long time. I got really busy and just got some time to write this so as apology I made this chapter longer than usual this one has 4000 words and I'm proud of it.

I am also sorry for some readers that got sad because Lucy is dead and everything so I will reveal now that this story will have a happy ending for both Natsu and Lucy besides I am not a sadist so this story will be definitely have a happy ending. So just stay with me until the end of this story ok?

And that's all for this chapter!

So my lovely readers, will you leave a review for this story? It will be highly appreciated. I really love reading your reviews and I actually got sad when there are few reviews for a certain chapter, I can't help but think that this story is getting bad and boring.

So make my day and leave a review, ok? It really makes me happy and makes me want to update this story faster even though I'm busy.

For the readers of my other story, Madly in love with you, I'll try to find time and update that.

P.S. In this chapter I used the name "Lenalee" who is a character from D. Gray Man and I made Grandine and Layla superstars, I got the idea from Detective Conan wherein Shinichi Kudo's mom is an actress before she got married or gave birth. It also gave me a reason for Layla's absence from Lucy's side because I want Layla to be alive in the story.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Fairy Tail, D. Gray Man and Detective Conan.


	9. Remorse

Chapter 9

Remorse

"Lucy, I want to tell you something." Natsu said as regret, fear and determination is shown in his eyes. He felt his heart beating faster and sweat breaking out from his skin.

This is it. He will now confess his sin that not even a single soul know, until now.

Lucy sensing seriousness in Natsu's voice, wiped her tears and gave him her full attention.

"Exactly five months and four days ago, I went to Gray's birthday party with our friends. We partied, talked a lot, ate a lot and drunk a lot of liquor." Natsu started as he continued to look in Lucy's eyes.

'_Five months and four days ago? That's also the exact day when I died.'_ Lucy's heartbeats quicken a bit. She feels that she won't like what she would hear next.

"The boys in our group, including me, had managed to bring some liquor for the party. All of us got drunk to the point that we can't see well, stand straight, and even think or speak properly so Gray suggested that we should just stay over, and so they did but not me. That night I snuck out Father's car and drove to Gray's place. You know, just to show off that I'm perfectly fine driving a car and that I'm just waiting to be of legal age to get a license. I remember during those times that I kept on pestering my father to let me drive his car, times when I can't wait to turn 18 and do everything that a minor can't do so I naturally grabbed the chance to drive father's car without him knowing when chance presented itself."

"I just rested for a while after the party and decided to bring home the car so dad wouldn't notice what I had done. But you know what? That is the most stupid thing that I had ever done." Natsu closed his eyes as he sighed. His resolve is weakening, he felt like he wanted to just make up an ending to his story as he laughs and tell her to call it a day so she could forget anything about this talk already. But he can't do it. He can't hide that forever, not from her. She has the right to know that he is the one who ruined her life even though it means that she will hate him. He reopened them later on with renewed determination, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

"While driving home that night, my vision was blurry and everywhere seems dark from the lack of streetlights. And that's when I realized that I am in no condition to drive but considering that I am a jerk who does what I want, I decided to ignore that. Everything is fine until I hit something. I got nervous knowing that I won't get away easily if the car got a dent or even a scratch so I decided to go out and check it. The place is still dark but it didn't hinder me from checking the car since the headlights are on. I stood up and sighed from relief when I didn't find any, only for my nervousness to come back at me when I noticed blood trailing its way towards me."

"Where? Where did all that happen?" Lucy suddenly asked.

"The road in front of us now." He truthfully answered realizing that Lucy already knows what he was talking about.

"So it's you." Lucy said as she stands up, her back in front of Natsu.

"Lucy, I'm sorry." Natsu said, looking at her back as he wishes for her to turn around.

"Why did you only tell me now? You have plenty of time to tell it or you forgot what you did and the person you killed." She told him with a cold tone.

"No! There is not a single day that I forgot that night! Those memories still haunts me." Natsu said as he goes in front of her.

"I can't bring myself to tell you because I am afraid you will hate me. I know this is absurd but please don't hate me. You became important to me as well." He told her but she just looked away.

"Lucy, please believe me. I didn't mean for that to hap-" He tried to explain but was interrupted by Lucy.

"I don't care!" Lucy shouted.

"Why? Why did you not help me? You left me there, dying." she said locking her eyes with Natsu's. Natsu flinch when he saw in her eyes how betrayed she felt.

"I'm sorry." He said with all sincerity and regret.

Lucy saw it in his eyes. How scared he feels, how much he is regretting everything, how sincere he is when he told her he's sorry. She almost wanted to just tell him that it's fine and there's nothing they can do now but every time she remembered the image of the fleeting car that had undoubtedly hit her keeps her from forgiving him.

"Lucy, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He pleaded, hoping to get his friend back again but as he looks at her eyes he feels that it's impossible and that breaks him.

"Forgive you?! How could you ask for forgiveness after stealing everything from me?!" She shouted, her anger erasing her thoughts of forgiving her friend.

"You stole everything from me Natsu! EVERYTHING!" Natsu was taken aback from her outburst, shrinking because of shame as she continued to tell what her life could have been if he just hadn't been a coward.

"I could have been living in a nice apartment now, reading books, writing novels and enjoying my freedom! I could have been a student of Fairy Academy now, the very school I've always dreamed of attending! I could have friends that I can laugh and cry with! Friends whom I can study, shop and hangout with! I could have experienced being a normal teenager! But no! You have to drunkenly hit me by a car and left me alone!"

Natsu felt tears cascading down his cheeks as he hears how many good experiences and possibilities had he accidentally taken from her. He can't take any of this anymore. He hated his self more now. She is right. She could have done better now and not just wandering aimlessly around. She doesn't deserve any of this. She'd been in a lot of loneliness already. She deserves to be happy but he had taken away that from her. He is despicable. He doesn't deserve to be happy. He doesn't deserve a loving and caring family. He doesn't deserve a fun and supporting friends. He doesn't deserve her forgiveness but even though that is the case, he still wants it. He wants Lucy to forgive him and that is all he could ever wish in his entire life.

"Leave me alone." Natsu is about to try to gain her forgiveness but is stunned after what Lucy said.

Lucy calmed down from her outburst as she saw Natsu shedding tears. Natsu, who she believed to be strong, laid-back, energetic and happy, is crying in front of her. She didn't like what she is seeing but she can't just forgive him. She is too hurt to forgive him.

"Wait, Lucy. Please, I am sorry. I am sorry I did not help you back then, I just felt so scared of what would happen to me if my parents and the others would know about the accident. And that night, I was so terrified of what I had done and I panicked. I can't think of anything that time due to fear. Please understand." He said.

"Leave me alone." She repeated, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Lucy, please forgive me. I'm sorry for being a coward but I truly regretted what I had done after my mind was cleared of panic and fear." He ignored her. He can't just leave now. He just can't leave without knowing if he's forgiven or not.

"Regret? Can your regret do anything?" She questioned him. She watches him as he open his mouth to say anything but decides to close it as pain crosses his features.

"Leave. Me. Alone. What makes it so hard for you to leave me now? You already left me before, five months ago." She said with finality, draining Natsu of all hope of forgiveness as he continued to look at her.

"Fine. If you don't leave, then I will." Lucy said as she disappears.

"Wait! Lucy, please…" Natsu sobbed as he collapsed on his knees.

He continued to sob in pain and say sorry. She watches him cry, plead and say sorry from a far with tears uncontrollably falling from her eyes feeling the same amount of pain he felt. Pain of knowing that the person whom she considered as her first friend is the one who killed her. She heard his reasons but are those reasons really enough to not help someone who is in need?

She watches him as his cries stop. He looks so empty, tired and void of all hope. She watches him as he picks himself up and slowly made way to his house, this time without her following him.

'_You became important to me as well.' _His voice echoed in her mind.

She turned around and continued to cry. She needs time to think and accept because if there is something that she is sure of right now, that is she will forgive him. She just doesn't know when because the wound he left still hurts.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Important!** (I guess..) I don't why I always forgets to mention this before but here it is now, just some clarifications:

1. Lucy's clothes were the same clothes when she died which is the clothes Lucy is wearing in Episode 29 in the anime when Lucy decided to go to their estate to confront her father.

2. When Lucy was hit by the car, she was facing opposite from Natsu when he first saw her that's why Natsu didn't saw her face that night and that's the reason why Lucy only saw the car when it passed her.

About the question of why the detective wasn't able to find her, I think the explanation will just be included in one of the future chapters.

That's all :)

So dear readers? What do you think about this chapter? I hope I did a good job, I somehow found it hard to write this one.

Please leave a review :)

I also want to thank those who reviewed/follow/favorite this story, you guys are the best!

Until the next chapter! (though I don't know when this will be updated since exams are getting near _again_ *sigh*, maybe this story and MiLy will be updated after those hellish week of brain cell depleting exams..)

I also want to mention some ideas I have in mind for some stories that I like to write, here are they:

White Horse

Summary: Lucy stopped believing that every girl can be a princess when her prince left her. The next day, a delinquent looking boy asked her to go out with him telling her that she doesn't need to take their relationship seriously. Lucy is not the one to play with relationship and her heart is still broken to have one, fake or not. Will the pink haired thug succeed in taking a hold of Lucy's broken heart? AU.

Jump Then Fall

Summary: Natsu, a common student who is always mistaken as a nerd together with his frienemy, Gray because of their glasses. The popular student in their school is playing a game, a cruel game titled "Break a nerd's heart". Then one day the beautiful Lucy Heartfilia tells him that she likes him. Of course he will be suspicious but will he ever realize that Lucy's feeling for him are sincere and no joke? AU.

The Story of Us

Summary: Natsu and Lucy loved each other until a misunderstanding broke them apart. They both thought that after their graduation will be the end of their story but it appears not. Their feelings and realizations will cloud up their mind as they accidentally meet each other from time to time.

Enchanted

Summary: "Being a security guard sure is boring especially if you're on a night shift. Okay, I shouldn't be complaining since during the night in this museum I get to meet a beautiful lady that I only know of in _this time."_ A pink haired man thought. AU

Well, that's all that I have in mind now. They're all NaLu stories and Yes, I am a Taylor Swift fan so the stories are based on the songs but White Horse and The Story of Us will have a happy ending unlike in the song. Enchanted is not really based on the song, just used it's title. So dear readers, which story do you think has a potential to be a multi-chapter story and which is better be a one-shot?


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